'We didn't go to uni and now we're pulling in £2k a week'

'We didn't go to uni and now we're pulling in £2k a week' Henry Howard and Holly Proud began aged just 16 and 15 A teenage duo who have banked more than £50,000 after deciding not to go to uni claim their primary drive was steering clear of student debt – and they're now putting money aside for their first property with "no regrets". Henry Howard and Holly Proud, hailing from Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, started scouring for designer deals and flipping garments in 2023, when they were merely 16 and 15 years old. Within a matter of months, they reported earning approximately £2,000 monthly and opted to commit to the venture full-time instead of joining many of their mates at university. Holly, now 19, explained that the freedom of being self-employed has enabled her to keep working while managing her postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), a condition that triggers a sharp rise in heart rate upon standing, frequently causing dizziness and light-headedness. Following their move into a 1,000 square foot premises in 2025, the pair went on to achieve impressive sales, including an Yves Saint Laurent jacket snapped up for £20 and flogged for £200, plus a Juicy Couture handbag nabbed for £10 and shifted for £110. Henry, now 20, said: "It's been extremely rewarding. I've always believed this was something serious and that we could make it work. "We're enjoying ourselves, making a decent amount of money, and one of the biggest driving forces for me is that I'm not in debt like many of my peers who went to university. We've got no regrets about not going." Henry and Holly became an item in June 2022 after being introduced through mutual friends at secondary school. The duo launched their clothing resale venture in January 2023, merging Henry's entrepreneurial flair with Holly's fashion expertise. They kicked off by snapping up "underpriced items" from charity shops, including branded T-shirts, frequently doubling their investment on each transaction. The young entrepreneurs would even dig through bargain bins, uncovering Ralph Lauren jumpers for as little as £2 and flogging them for up to £30 on Vinted and Depop. "We saw it as a way to get some extra pocket money for going out at first really, we couldn't believe how cheap we could get some of the branded items in charity shops," Henry said. After stumbling upon the opportunity to purchase vintage clothing in bulk online through wholesaler Fleek, they recognised the potential for a legitimate enterprise. Henry explained: "As we scaled up our orders, we scaled up the volume we were selling. We started out in Holly's bedroom, then moved into her spare bedroom, then a room in my house, and eventually into her grandparents' annex." By summer, they were raking in approximately £2,000 monthly. One of their initial triumphs occurred when they acquired a bundle of 50 Carhartt trousers for roughly £400 and shifted each pair for £20. Henry and Holly subsequently chose to commit to the business full-time rather than attending university. Henry said: "There was definitely some shock from people around me, as around 95% of my friends went to university. My school largely encouraged me to go to university and stay in education, but I was lucky to have a very supportive family." Diagnosed with POTS in 2023, Holly has found that being her own boss suits her far better, giving her the freedom to adapt her working hours to how she feels on any given day. She said: "Day to day, I definitely have to take things at my own pace and sit down more regularly. The heat makes it so much worse too. I don't think I could have gone to university with it." The pair took a significant step forward in November 2025, relocating their operation to a 1,000 square foot unit to dramatically increase their stock capacity. Holly said: "We work well together as a team – Henry is good at the business and numbers side, and I have a lot of knowledge about fashion – we agree on most things!". Their eye for a bargain has yielded some impressive results. Standout flips include a vintage Valentino suit snapped up for £10 and resold for £250, and a Yves Saint Laurent jacket purchased for just £20 that fetched £200. A Juicy Couture handbag bought for £10 went on to sell for £110, while a pair of Frye cowboy boots acquired for £15 later changed hands for £135. Holly explained: "I think I'm quite good at knowing what's trending, so we look for that as well as big brands – that's what always works for us. I'm really passionate about the environment. If any of our clothes have holes in them, I sew them up or add patches to make them more unique before we sell them. We rarely buy ourselves anything new now." The pair graft seven days a week, treating their venture as both a passion project and a profession, now raking in more than £2,000 weekly. Henry revealed they've banked roughly £50,000 to date. Though they've splashed out on getaways, including a jaunt to Copenhagen, their main priority remains saving up for their first property. Holly added: "We're just excited for the future and what's to come, we want to just keep growing the business!" For more information, visit www.joinfleek.com